"This happened only two months back, when I was extending my full support to Bishop Franco Mullakal, who was arrested in a sex abuse case of a nun last year," Mr George told IANS.

"The reason why I kept mum then was because he threatened to finish off one of my two sons," said the seven time legislator, adding that he did instantly inform Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and State Police chief Loknath Behera.

While the first caller had identified himself as Ravi Pujari, during the second call that he received from the same number, the caller was speaking in Malayalam and said he has been instructed by the mafia don, George said.

A subsequent police probe revealed the call came from South Africa and the caller was indeed Ravi Pujari, said the Poonjar MLA.

"On both occasions when he abused me, I gave it back to him. And since then our security has been heightened, especially that of my younger son," he added.

"Just because I took a stand for the Bishop, I was targeted," the 67-year-old MLA said.

Mr George is currently an Independent MLA. He is known for his brashness and reportedly always carries a licensed revolver.

He had created quite a furore, some time back, when he pulled out his revolver after being surrounded by people when he was settling some matter in his constituency in the Kottayam district.

Ravi Pujari’s first Kerala connection came up in December last year, when following a shooting incident outside the beauty parlour of actress Leena Maria Paul in Kochi, the police traced it to the mafia don.